The technology relates to: a developer containing unit that contains a developer; a development processing unit that attaches, onto an electrostatic latent image, the developer fed from the developer containing unit; a development unit including the developer containing unit and the development processing unit; and an image forming apparatus that includes the development unit.
An image forming apparatus using an electrophotographic method is in widespread use. One reason for this is that the image forming apparatus using the electrophotographic method is able to achieve a high-quality image in a shorter time, compared to an image forming apparatus using other method such as an inkjet method.
An image forming apparatus forms an image on a surface of a medium such as paper. A process of forming an image involves formation of an electrostatic latent image on a surface of a photosensitive drum, which is followed by attachment of a developer onto the formed electrostatic latent image. The developer attached onto the electrostatic latent image is transferred onto the medium. Thereafter, heat and pressure are applied onto the developer transferred onto the medium. The developer is thereby fixed onto the medium.
The image forming apparatus includes a development unit that attaches the developer onto the electrostatic latent image. The development unit may include a developer containing unit and a development processing unit. The developer containing unit may contain the developer. The development processing unit may attach, onto the electrostatic latent image, the developer fed from the developer containing unit. The developer containing unit may be attachable to and detachable from the development processing unit.
An image forming apparatus that forms a full-color image uses two or more kinds of developers that are colored in colors different from each other. The image forming apparatus is accordingly provided with two or more kinds of developer containing units.
When providing two or more kinds of developer containing units, each of the developer containing units may be provided with, for example, a display directed to distinguishing the developer containing units in order to prevent the two or more developer containing units from being attached mistakenly. For example, reference is made to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-099132.